Then the question is, how much goes to
those in need after all the expenses of the fund raising?

Some worthwhile charities with good
reputations seem to be taken over and lose their focus. Military Order of The
Purple Heart?

Some don’t just focus on the needs of the
people they are supposedly helping but have social/political agendas. Wounded
Warriors? Some do get my pennies. Soldier’s Angels.

Circa 1970’s my now ex wife and other
parents founded a chapter of the National Autism Association in the Seattle
area. The focus was on helping families with autistic children cope. A few
years later we founders were ousted in a coup and the chapter became a fund
raiser for the professionals at the University of Washington to fund
their various studies.

Today I always say “Yes” when asked to “round
up” at my local grocery store for the food bank. As far as I know most of what
is raised does provide food.

Occasionally when I know of good people
struggling I will buy durable food staples and leave a few sacks on their
doorstep, or in the bed of their pickup, and then walk away.

Have you ever watched someone, usually a young
mother, counting her change before going in and prepaying for gasoline? Ever
walk over and swipe you credit card at her pump and fill her tank? That is
giving with a purpose.

13 comments:

I'm with you 100% WSF. I do give food to the "Settlement House", a local food bank that takes food in and hands it out with volunteers doing the lifting. Frozen turkeys and chickens along with flats of canned food are always appreciated. I will hand over money to people where the funds are passed on to the needy. However, United Way and the rest of the scams won't get a penny.

I try to give to individuals. And having been the recipient of assistance more than once in my life, sometimes when I really was on the edge of disaster, I know how much easier it is to give than to receive. By doing the small things I do and remaining anonymous, I am helping someone that definitely needs a hand AND making it a little easier for that person to accept it. I wrote about it awhile back. Don't go away, let me see if I can find it... ah, here's one http://amimental.blogspot.com/2009/12/resolved.htmlAnd some clarification for that one.. http://amimental.blogspot.com/2009/12/okay-ill-tell.html

I do small things (small to me, not so small to recipients). I will buy cans of food and place them in the food collection boxes in the stores, and even pay, anomalously, for older vets food at restaurants or my WH. I hadn't though of swiping my card at a gas pump. I'll keep that one in mind. I NEVER give to charities. Even the vets, because I don't believe they actually do what the claim for the vets. Greed pisses me off.

There are so many charities, and go fund me things out there these days, it can be difficult to decide which, if any, to give to. I mostly give tangible items, and/or do the random acts/paying it forward things, without them knowing it was me. I don't need a participation certificate for doing what is a simple act of kindness.

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About Me

Semi retired road warrior, car salesman, occasional repo man. Father of three fine sons. Once a Blue Dog Democrat. Once a soldier; once a pilot. Rolling along life's highway proving there is no fool like an old fool.